1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus, an information providing method, and a program. In particular, the present invention relates to an information providing apparatus, an information providing method, and a program, in which personal information can be safely provided.
2. Description of the Related Art
In known instant messaging (IM), when a user's personal computer is connected to the Internet, the Internet-connecting state of another user registered in advance and a message from another user are automatically displayed in the user's personal computer. In this state, exchange of messages, chatting, and transmission of a file can be performed in real time (for example, see nonpatent literature 1: “Instant messaging” in Multimedia & Internet Dictionary, published by Digital Creators Conference, searched online on Aug. 20, 2002 (URL: http://www.kaigisho.ne.jp/literacy/midic/data/k2/k2109.htm)).
In IM, personal information of each user who has been registered with an IM server in order to receive an IM service is provided to another user who has established an exchange relationship. If an exchange relationship between a user A and a user B has been established, the user B is registered in the buddy list of the user A as his/her buddy, and the user A is also registered in the buddy list of the user B as his/her buddy. Personal information of a user is not provided to all users, but is provided to only a buddy connected in an exchange relationship. Therefore, concealment of personal information can be realized.
In order to establish an exchange relationship, a user (user A) transmits an “approach” to another user (user B). The user B receives the “approach”, and transmits an “acceptance” to the user A if the user B wants to accept the “approach” from the user A (if the user B wants to establish an exchange relationship with the user A).
When the user A “approaches” the user B, the user A needs to know the ID of the user B. Also, when the user B transmits an “acceptance” to the user A, the user B needs to know the ID of the user A. In order to obtain the ID, the users directly negotiate with each other so as to give the ID to each other.
Alternatively, an ID can be obtained by searching for the ID of a user belonging to an interesting category by using disclosed personal information which has been stored in advance.
However, for example, when the user B is registered with the IM service but the user A is not registered with the IM service, the user B can give his/her ID to the user A. However, since the user A has not been registered with the IM service and does not have an ID, the user A cannot give his/her ID to the user B.
In this case, the user A first registers himself/herself with the IM service so as to obtain an ID. Then, the user A transmits an “approach” to the user B based on the ID of the user B. However, the user B does not know the ID of the user A. Therefore, the user B cannot identify the user A: if the user A is a stranger or a user to which the user B has given his/her ID, when the user B determines to or not to accept the “approach”. In this case, the user B has to negotiate with the user A again, which is inconvenient.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-78182 suggests the following method. A level (information level) is set to personal information in advance and a level of a user (user level) is determined based on the number of times the user refers to the personal information, so that each user can refer to personal information at the information level corresponding to his/her user level.
Accordingly, in the IM, an information level may be set to personal information of each buddy and a buddy level is set to each buddy.
However, when a user level is determined in accordance with the frequency of referring to personal information, the following problem is caused. That is, when the user B who has received an “approach” from the user A wants to refer to the personal information of the user A in order to determine to or not to accept the “approach”, that reference is the first reference, and thus the user B cannot see the personal information of the user A.
A level of personal information can be segmentalized so as to confine personal information which can be referred to by a first referrer within narrow limits. In that case, however, it is difficult to determine to or not to accept an “approach”.
Different user levels may be set to users registered in a buddy list and unregistered users, and reference to personal information may be restricted based on the user levels. However, when a user who is not registered in a buddy list and who is a first referrer is permitted to refer to personal information, all users are permitted to refer to personal information. In this case, concealment of personal information cannot be ensured.
If concealment of personal information cannot be ensured, detailed personal information is less likely to be registered by users. As a result, it becomes difficult for a user to search for another user who is compatible with him/her in many aspects so as to register the compatible user as a buddy (to establish an exchange relationship).